The Barclays: Bergen County's Hoffmann catapults up leaderboard with 66

By ANDY VASQUEZ

STAFF WRITER |

The Record

PARAMUS — They followed Morgan Hoffmann around by the hundreds Saturday at The Barclays.

MICHAEL KARAS/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Morgan Hoffmann, who entered The Barclays at No. 124 out of 125 players, is just two shots back after shooting a 5-under 66 Saturday.

There were fans, friends, former classmates and family — all of them here to watch the young pro from Bergen County. The crowd, and the support grew with every hole and every birdie, reaching its crescendo at the par-4 18th, where Hoffmann tipped his cap and waved.

"Guess I feel like Tiger around here,” Hoffmann said. “Which is a pretty cool experience.”

If he keeps playing this way, the experience could become downright magical.

Several familiar faces jockeyed for position atop the leaderboard at Ridgewood Country Club in the third round, but nobody made a bigger move than the 25-year-old from Wyckoff.

Hoffmann shot a 5-under-par 66, the low round of the day, to catapult himself up the leaderboard. He’s in a tie for fourth place at 7-under par, trailing leaders Jim Furyk and Jason Day by two shots.

Hoffmann earned himself a spot in today’s penultimate group with Hunter Mahan (8-under), and in the process set up a

dream scenario: When he steps onto the first tee at 1:55 p.m. today, Hoffmann will be gunning for his first PGA Tour win in his own back yard, in front of the people who have watched him grow up as a person and a golfer.

“It’s actually been really hard to not look into the crowd, because I want to and go say hi to everybody,” said Hoffmann, who won two golf state titles at Ramapo High School, “but I need to stay focused, and hopefully catch up [with friends] after.”

He’ll need to be fully focused today, considering how tight the leaderboard is, what’s at stake and who he’s chasing. Eight players are within two shots of the leaders, and 15 are three shots back or less.

Furyk, the No. 6 golfer in the world, shot a 2-under 69, grabbing a share of the lead with two birdies on his final nine holes Saturday.

“It’s a stacked leaderboard,” Furyk said. “There are a ton of players within three shots of the lead, so my goal really is to go out there and kind of not look at the leaderboard, just play my own game.”

Day, No. 9 in the world, shot a 3-under 68, recovering from a double-bogey seven on the par 5 13th after losing his ball in the mounds and tall grass.

“I found a few Titleists, but not my TaylorMade [ball],” Day said. “Whoever finds that ball, they can keep it.”

Meanwhile, Mahan also shot a 68, birdieing three of his first six holes and holding on from there.

Rickie Fowler — Hoffmann’s former Oklahoma State teammate — shot the second-best round of the day, a 67, and is part of a seven-player group at 5-under par. And world No. 1 Rory McIlroy shot a 1-under par 70 and is still in touch, albeit five shots behind the leaders at 4-under par.

But those guys aren’t staying in their childhood bed this week. And, more than likely, they aren’t making the ride to the course with their mother, the way Hoffmann did Saturday morning.

“I’m just kind of listening to music, and she’s just being positive like she always is,” Hoffmann said of the ride. “And I’m like, ‘Mom! Just let me listen to music.’ But she’s great.”

Hoffmann will need all the positivity he can get today. In addition to the pressure of chasing his first tour win, and playing in front of his home crowd, he needs a strong finish to continue his season.

Hoffmann entered The Barclays, the first event of the FedEx Cup playoffs, ranked 124 out of 125. To advance to the next leg, the Deutsche Bank Championship outside of Boston, he needs to move into the top 100 of the standings — which would likely take a top-25 finish at Ridgewood.

But Hoffmann insists there’s no extra burden.

“Right now I’m kind of free-wheeling it and having fun,” Hoffmann said. “I really didn’t really feel any pressure [Saturday]. I swung the best I have in probably months. And the pressure kind of frees me up. I don’t know why, but it feels great.”

On Hoffmann’s bedroom wall — the room where he’s sleeping this week — there is a photo of Phil Mickelson that has been hanging since his high school days. Saturday, Hoffmann beat Mickelson by nine shots.

PARAMUS — They followed Morgan Hoffmann around by the hundreds Saturday at The Barclays.

There were fans, friends, former classmates and family — all of them here to watch the young pro from Bergen County. The crowd, and the support grew with every hole and every birdie, reaching its crescendo at the par-4 18th, where Hoffmann tipped his cap and waved.

"Guess I feel like Tiger around here,” Hoffmann said. “Which is a pretty cool experience.”

If he keeps playing this way, the experience could become downright magical.

Several familiar faces jockeyed for position atop the leaderboard at Ridgewood Country Club in the third round, but nobody made a bigger move than the 25-year-old from Wyckoff.

Hoffmann shot a 5-under-par 66, the low round of the day, to catapult himself up the leaderboard. He’s in a tie for fourth place at 7-under par, trailing leaders Jim Furyk and Jason Day by two shots.

Hoffmann earned himself a spot in today’s penultimate group with Hunter Mahan (8-under), and in the process set up a

dream scenario: When he steps onto the first tee at 1:55 p.m. today, Hoffmann will be gunning for his first PGA Tour win in his own back yard, in front of the people who have watched him grow up as a person and a golfer.

“It’s actually been really hard to not look into the crowd, because I want to and go say hi to everybody,” said Hoffmann, who won two golf state titles at Ramapo High School, “but I need to stay focused, and hopefully catch up [with friends] after.”

He’ll need to be fully focused today, considering how tight the leaderboard is, what’s at stake and who he’s chasing. Eight players are within two shots of the leaders, and 15 are three shots back or less.

Furyk, the No. 6 golfer in the world, shot a 2-under 69, grabbing a share of the lead with two birdies on his final nine holes Saturday.

“It’s a stacked leaderboard,” Furyk said. “There are a ton of players within three shots of the lead, so my goal really is to go out there and kind of not look at the leaderboard, just play my own game.”

Day, No. 9 in the world, shot a 3-under 68, recovering from a double-bogey seven on the par 5 13th after losing his ball in the mounds and tall grass.

“I found a few Titleists, but not my TaylorMade [ball],” Day said. “Whoever finds that ball, they can keep it.”

Meanwhile, Mahan also shot a 68, birdieing three of his first six holes and holding on from there.

Rickie Fowler — Hoffmann’s former Oklahoma State teammate — shot the second-best round of the day, a 67, and is part of a seven-player group at 5-under par. And world No. 1 Rory McIlroy shot a 1-under par 70 and is still in touch, albeit five shots behind the leaders at 4-under par.

But those guys aren’t staying in their childhood bed this week. And, more than likely, they aren’t making the ride to the course with their mother, the way Hoffmann did Saturday morning.

“I’m just kind of listening to music, and she’s just being positive like she always is,” Hoffmann said of the ride. “And I’m like, ‘Mom! Just let me listen to music.’ But she’s great.”

Hoffmann will need all the positivity he can get today. In addition to the pressure of chasing his first tour win, and playing in front of his home crowd, he needs a strong finish to continue his season.

Hoffmann entered The Barclays, the first event of the FedEx Cup playoffs, ranked 124 out of 125. To advance to the next leg, the Deutsche Bank Championship outside of Boston, he needs to move into the top 100 of the standings — which would likely take a top-25 finish at Ridgewood.

But Hoffmann insists there’s no extra burden.

“Right now I’m kind of free-wheeling it and having fun,” Hoffmann said. “I really didn’t really feel any pressure [Saturday]. I swung the best I have in probably months. And the pressure kind of frees me up. I don’t know why, but it feels great.”

On Hoffmann’s bedroom wall — the room where he’s sleeping this week — there is a photo of Phil Mickelson that has been hanging since his high school days. Saturday, Hoffmann beat Mickelson by nine shots.